TVs in the Bedroom - Thumbs up, Thumbs down?

denni I personally don't like the TV in bedrooms. I like to have a room that is totally relaxing and peaceful. My husband has another opinion, which is when the games are on, he can retreat to the bedroom and watch them. Our TV is an eye sore because it is the big box kind and does not fit my beachy white, sea green and cream decor. However, last night I was very tired and went to bed at 10pm to stretch out and watch an hour of TV. I had the blankets piled high, cat nesting at my feet and when I couldn't keep my eyes opened, click and off it went and so did I. So, I believe that's a thumbs up! Maybe one day we can graduate to a mounted flat screen.

Karen Evans As you illustrated so well here, a television can be added to a bedroom in a way that is both functional and attractive. I enjoy watching the news on Sunday morning in my bed as well as ending some evenings there as well. There's no need to change the way we live when there are options available.

zealart Thumbs down to me. I like it to be quiet too and think usually people get in a habit of watching it late, until they are ready or fall asleep to it. I also wouldn't read as much , because tv would probably take over reading the book on my nightstand.
For winter nights, I quite enjoy cuddling up in a blanket on the couch.
For the times where I really want to watch something in bed, I'll just take my laptop along, but that is rarely the case.

Mandy I personally would not put a television in my bedroom. I prefer my bedroom to be used for sleeping, reading, and spending quality time with my hubby. I am a big believer in turning off electronics (tv, laptop, iPhone) an hour before bed to allow my body to unwind. It would be too tempting for me to stay up late watching tv if there were one in my room. Also, I do not think they look very pretty. So if I were to have a tv in a bedroom, it would definitely be hidden in an armoire.

llucy I've had a tv in the bedroom since I was a teen. Great for cuddling up to watch movies, set documentaries to low volume to ease insomnia, accompaniment to folding and putting away laundry, and above all ...avoiding conflict when 2 people want to watch different programs at the same time.

Not all of us have separate rooms for each activity, so a tv in the bedroom makes absolute sense.

Becky Harris I love the luxury of watching TV in a hotel room from bed, but leave it at that. Somehow I don't want one in my room. I'd rather read and get sleepy in there, and keep the TV in the living room.

Michelle I tend to side with Carrie Bradshaw on this one... it is a luxury, but better off for us in a hotel. I found myself staying up too late to watch tv or not grabbing my book and instead flipping on the tv as we settled in for the night. It may be different when we have kiddos though! :) By the way- the yellow chair in the second to last photo is fabulous!!!

Michelle @ Ten June

John Whipple - By Any Design ltd. Thumbs down. The bedroom is for sleeping and ...

House rule! ;)

lyvia Thumbs down. It's hard enough to get quality sleep. I go to bed earlier, and hubby stays up with the tv ... down the hall. Sometimes with headphones.

homekeptheart i think that a tv in the bedroom works if (and only if) you can close it behind doors. that is the best of both worlds. at the end of a hard day i love to sit on my bed and fold laundry to a little cooking channel. and if you have doors, it isn't the focal point of the room unless you want it to be (which would be only when you were watching it).

i have 5 children and both of our tv's are behind doors. less temptation and tv is a more deliberate and planned activity.

froglet moss ick - tv is not for the bedroom, fullstop.

Rashon Carraway A bedroom is a place that should make you comfortable and if a TV in it makes you comfortable then live on. We have a 47 inch in our bedroom and a 60 inch in the living/family room.

Thats 2 thumps up!!!!!

vintagedeb The bedroom is the LOVE ROOM. That's always been our rule. HOWEVER; we're building a new house, and I'm thinking a beautifully designed hidden one is a great idea-just for some cozy TV time, and for sick time.

jacey We have a tv in our bedroom. We don't watch it often but it sure is nice to have when you want it. No need for expensive custom cabinets to hide it though. We purchased the Newport dresser and media hutch from Ethan Allen. You might want to check it out. They also offer a media lift cabinet.

pocita Thumbs up for the tv in the bedroom for me. We have a tv in the basement family room and when the teenagers have friends over they are using it, so we can slip away to our private retreat in the bedroom. Also we don't have a tv in the living room, that is our place to read or visit with friends. When you are under the weather its great to have the tv in the bedroom as well.

lov2grow Thumbs up for me. The fact that televisions are now so slim and well design, it has almost become a piece of art, especially when it is beautifully integrated in the decor, like in some of the pictures you showed us. However, I would avoid violent programs or news, as it is after all a place we use to relax and sleep.

Roberta Philbrick Not a fan of TV in the bedroom and we did have one for years in an armoire so it wasn't an eyesore...but we just don't stay in bed at home and watch TV...maybe because we have always had wonderful, leather recliners that are too die for ;) But when we go away and stay in hotels...we love to stay in for at least one day, order room service and relax in bed. We watch a lot of lame a@@ TV that we never watch at home and take naps...pure luxury. That is probably why we enjoy it when we do have the opportunity. I'm just not a TV person anyhow so I don't ever miss it. If it is on at all...it's DH watching sports and national geo ;)

bird_lover6 "Tv in the bedroom" is a lifestyle choice, not a decorating choice. It is what it is.

dahliascloset I'm 42 and have never had a tv in bedroom and don't ever plan to... for all the same reasons listed. We have one tv in our house, and that works just fine. Bedroom is to be reserved for sleep and sex - so say sleep experts. I tend toward insomnia, so I would simply watch junk tv late into the night, and I know it would exacerbate my sleep issues. I teach high school and strongly disagree with kids or teens having a tv -- I've had numerous discussions with my students about this and MANY of them have tvs in nearly every room of the house and report it's quite common for everyone to go to their own room to watch tv or use computer. I think it creates separation not togetherness. Having said all that, I certainly think a tv in an adult master is fine if neither person has sleep problems and the watching can be kept under control and the tv looks discreet and blends, rather than dominates, the decor. It's just not for me.

*I have no idea why my font is so bold.

Ann Bingley Gallops As a Feng Shui consultant (in NYC) I find this question coming up all the time. Feng Shui gives the thumbs-down to a TV in the bedroom for all the reasons listed above and then some: it creates too much aggressive Yang energy in a room that's about rest, intimacy etc; modern TVs are always "on" so electromagnetic energies affect our sleep & health; a TV can prevent two people from truly connecting with one another, etc.

phoggie We do have a TV in the bedroom (as well in the bathroom), but they are built in. I especially liked them following surgeries, etc. It helps pass the time when I am not able to be out of bed. Also I like to get the morning news and weather while getting ready for the day.

Christine Mowen some of those rooms have such incredible views, why would you even need a TV?

Bonnie Thumbs down. Never had a TV in the bedroom and we hardly use the one in the living room! :)

newsprout Depends on the situation and client. Design should not overpower the comforts of what the client wants just for good looks. I don't have one in my bedroom and I like it that way, but when I stay in a hotel I love having one.. I remain open about the idea.

Gaelle Nicloux-Barnett Thumbs down for me. I used to have a TV in my bedroom as a teenager, and I was so used to it that I just couldn't fall asleep anymore without it. And would wake in the middle of the night to turn it off. (that was untill I received a new TV with a "sleep" button ;-).
Now as a grown up I prefer to read untill falling asleep, in a quiet cozy bedroom. Lucky my husband thinks the same.
We never had cable anyway, we had a livingroom computer hooked on the TV and watched downloaded movies, netflix or series on hulu.com.
And now,since last year, we don't even own a TV anymore. We watch sometimes stuff on the laptops in bed or on the sofa, but that's it. We prefer to just sit on the patio with some wine and talk, read or play guitar there untill bedtime.

stephb11 Well, I for one love having a TV in our bedroom, though it's not the focal point. There have been plenty of times where my husband watches his sports in the living room and I like to go curl up on the bed and put in a good movie and read my magazines. It's a wonderful cozy spot for me since I love our bedroom. And on days when you're sick and laid up in bed, there's nothing nicer than having the option of watching TV in bed.

I guess I don't understand why it has to be an either/or thing. At night when we go to bed, we never have it on and it's the "love" space. :) It can be BOTH. Just because a TV is in the room doesn't mean it has to define the room.

Wendy Hynes Ditto, thumbs down, unless one is ill or bed-ridden and spends a majority of their day in the bedroom. Tvs are a detriment to a good night's sleep and do not belong in there. At the very least find a way to have it concealed. This is not just for aesthetics, but seeing a tv makes the room a more stimulating place and increases the chances of insomnia... seriously, my doctor says so :)

Karen Ho Fatt I am afraid the TV is here to stay in what appears to be every part of the home. We just placed another one in the guest room for sleepovers of our niece and nephew and the relatives enjoyment. I never used to have a TV in my bedroom until my husband installed one. Surprise, I am up a lot later now! Anyhow from an aesthetic point of view, televisions are like works of art now, no need to worry about hiding them too much nowadays.

Fiorella Design TV's in bedrooms are often inevitable. As a designer you have to design with them. I personally either like to hide them in an armoire or some type of built-in or put them right out there. But I don't agree with framing them or trying to make them anything more that what they are. Then it looks too forced. A big pet peeve though is mounting them too high. Many people like to put them over the fireplace but if their mantel is 4' or higher with an 8' ceiling height...and you have a short room, it's just too high. Too high proportionally with the room and too high for visual comfort. In this case, you should put it in an armoire.

kitastrophe33 Thumbs way down. A lot of people struggle with difficulty falling asleep, or waking during the night. The very first thing we investigate is their bedtime habits. And we always recommend that the bedroom be reserved for sleeping and quality time with your partner. No computers, no TV, no books even. You should associate your bed with sleep. It's definitely a house rule here.

deodand The light from a TV can mess with the quality of your sleep - even if you aren't awake. The light falling on your eyelids is enough. It's not a good sleep hygiene practice.

susan Mecca-Urbanczyk In 2008 the New York Times published an article that reported on several disturbing statistics connecting televisions in the bedroom to health and developmental problems like obesity, insomnia, and more. Other studies have shown that it lowers intimacy and sexual frequency between couples. Feng Shui practitioners say that electronic devices not only keeps you from sleeping, they draw out the bad 'qi' or energy of the room and drain you of your own energy. I have CFS and Fibro so we no longer have a television in the bedroom. If the occasion ever happens that I want to watch anything in bed I watch it on my laptop. The rest of the time our bedroom is a spa like love nest.

Joanne Fairmont Yinger Thumbs down. I prefer fewer electronics in the bedroom, as a matter of good Feng Shui--its more restful to me and when I wake up I don't want to think about TV entertainment first thing.

melanie11 Thumbs way down. No cell phones, no lap tops, no tv. Just books and you and me. Oh, and the three- and four-year old who show up in the middle of the night. Kill Your Television! At least in the bedroom.

Mike This might be the most comments I've seen on a weekly update. That just tells you how passionate we are about our opinion of a tv in the bedroom and for good reason. As someone mentioned above, a tv in the bedroom is a lifestyle choice, not a design one. Sure the rooms in this ideabook were designed well, but with the right designer, ideas and budget you can make anything look good. I prefer not to have a tv in the bedroom; there are plenty other things I enjoy doing in the bedroom. Then again I also don't have cable but I do have a very nice tv for the occasional movie. Again, lifestyle choice. Thumbs down to the tv, not just in the bedroom but to the tv.

Lisa's Creative Designs I guess it depends on your lifestyle. We are "TV" people and watch TV in our bedroom every night. My husband is an Electronic Junkie. I would love to hide the TV and accessories in an armiore or cabinet though.

mijbe I've lurked for a while on this site and never seen quite so many comments on one issue! Definitely thumbs down for me for all the reasons listed above - electronics in the bedroom interfere with sleep. I actually had one for years and didn't realize how "addicted" I was to it until we moved to our new house and now I sleep so much better and spend more time talking to my hubby rather than just staring at the box. MUCH better!!!! My sister actually got rid of ALL her TVs - I don't know if I'm ready for that - but I am so glad to have reclaimed my bedroom! If you're going to watch TV do it actively - somewhere centrally in the home - and then turn off the box and retreat to your bedroom.

jodyg never, ever in the bedroom. we have several in our home (that we rarely watch) but the bedroom is sacred ground from electronic "anything" - especially a tv.

Angela Gagauf My husband and I made a pact 34 years ago on our wedding day that we would never have a TV in the bedroom. And we never have. But I must say, some of those pictures look fabulous!

aylia8 To each her own. My preference is a bedroom without television. We have television upstairs and downstairs, and our bedroom is a place where there is no electronic distraction, other than the inevitable alarm clocks. The bedroom offers a peaceful, quiet, calm, stress-free atmosphere that refreshes and revitalizes us. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

hmreeser yes I love having tv available in bedroom. This way I can watch my shows or movie seperate from the kids or my husband. If anyone in the family is sick, they usually come to our room, so it is nice to let them recover in our bedroom watching TV. As long as it isn't this huge temptation or bad habit contributing to watching too much, it is really nice. I like feeling like I am on vacation in my bedroom :)

Donna Gelineau Thumbs down! Your bedroom should be a sanctuary for you and your husband. House rules, our room is not a place to watch TV, argue or discuss business. We have a second TV in the office.

LEEN MJ Thumbs up up up! after a hard days' work my husband and i can watch our favorite channels while the boys are watching cartoon network in the family room. Also its always good to watch the early morning news and discussing the various topics.

cblanda Thumbs DOWN!! We also made a 'tv' pact many years ago- no tv in the bedroom. We live by that but my husband does grumble every once in awhile.

PollyG Generally a thumbs down - however if you are recovering from a illness/injury, a TV while in bed can be a good distraction. I move my little lightweight portable TV from the kitchen into my bedroom on these thankfully rare occurrences and watch DVDs on my laptop!

Rough Linen I would feel invaded by a tv set in my bedroom- it is my clear space, where I read and think (don't watch much tv anyway). We watch projected movies on a big screen in a living room, and stream news and political commentary after broadcast to cut out the ads.

trishmoxon Thumbs down. In 30 years of marriage, we've never had a tv in the bedroom. The only thing that would change my mind is if I were chronically I'll and/or bedridden.

Karen Heffernan my preference is a tv with a two-way mirror for a screen. when it's off, it's a mirror; turn it on and it's a tv!

monireyn If you have a tv in your room it helps to have it at the right height. You should have access to view it not just from your bed but also from a couch or armchair. If you hide it behind doors be sure to have a remote control to open the doors of the cabinet -- it is a great idea to be able to do that since according to feng shui one should not have mirrors around you while you sleep (you cannot rest properly) and tv screens act like mirrors when they are off.

js72455 TV in the bedroom? Never in mine. I'm not that big of a fan of TV.

grammachris Two thumbs down from my husband and I. It's difficult enough finding time for adequate sleep and to be with each other without the tube invading our bedroom.

wad123 your all retards!!!! of course its a good thing

TVCoverups There seem to be some very conflicting opinions in this thread. Why not get the best of both worlds and cover your TV with your existing art?
www.tvcoverups.com

ardieroddy Always have had a TV in the bedroom. When I retreat there I can watch my shows (HGTV, DIY, and the like) while husband watches his game and FOX News in our TV room. I often multi-task as I am now and take care of correspondence, bill-paying, etc. at some time. Want to read? Turn off TV.

aylia8 Our bedroom is the one electronics-free space in our home. No alarm clocks, radios, television, or computer. We have books and reading lights, and we love our retreat from the hustle and bustle of our busy days.

TVCoverups Hi Ardieroddy, i'm going to install a TVCoverUps application in our bedroom, and will forward pics when done. We occasionally will want to watch the TV in the bedroom but don't want the big black hole look when we aren't watching TV. pics to follow

alanitoo I have a tv in my bedroom. But to be honest I rarely turn it on, it is not a must have, but when a family member and I want to watch a different tv show at the same time, I go to my room to watch it.